1. The topic assigned to me, formally, is "The American Orthodox Rabbi in the Computer Age." In elaborating on the theme, my hosts informed me that I was expected to expatiate on the issues and challenges that will confront Centrist Orthodoxy in the coming years. Now, this leaves me in a dilemma. I know less than nothing about computers. Since I am away from the rabbinate for 6-7 years, I feel unqualified to elaborate my views before those who bear its daily burdens. And in so far as predicting the future is concerned, I am always mindful of what Samuel Goldwyn used to say: "Never make forecasts, especially about the future." I shall therefore ask your leave to make some general and some specific comments about Centrist Orthodoxy, especially as it relates to American Orthodox Rabbis, and therefore most especially to the Rabbinical Council of America. I apologize in advance if I occasionally stray from my assigned theme to include matters that appear to me either urgent or important.

The Reform decision conceiving patrilineal descent, in effect validating it as a legitimate form of Jewish identity, and the recent Conservative flirtation with the same idea (the suggestion by the head of the JTS that the Rabbinical Assembly should “study” the issue is a disingenuous means of fleating a trial balloon), will unquestionably have a profoundly negative impact upon the attempts to secure the unity of the Jewish people.There are a number of features that have characterized Centrist Orthodoxy in the past decades. Among these features are the commitment to the State of Israel and the positive rather than reluctant validation of higher secular studies. In addition to these, and of no less equal import, is the effort to secure the inviolable integrity of Kelal Yisrael. From this flow a number of practical communal consequences, such as: membership in the Synagogue Council; an ambiguous, but at least not clearly negative, attitude towards membership of individual rabbis in mixed rabbinical bodies; working together at national levels such as the JWB, UJA, Federations, etc. Those of us who identify with this Centrist approach have always felt that, saddened and angered though we were by successive departures from Halakhah and tradition by the dissenting groups, we affirm their Jewish identity and hence their legitimate membership inKelal YisraelWe felt that with the majority of the Jewish people today not being identified with Orthodoxy, and certainly not as meticulous shomrei mitzvot, it was a national imperative for our people to stay together if at all possible. The price we have paid has been religiously, culturally, andpsychologically high. The Reform abrogation of Halakhah, especially of the laws of marriage and divorce and the consequent proliferation of mamzerim, and the chipping away at the whole halakhic structure by the Conservative movement in areas as diverse as kashrut, Shabbat, the nature of the Bet Haknesset, the unspoken abandonment of taharat…

A jubilee anniversary for an institution no less than for an individual is an occasion for brooding reflection. It is a time for both retrospective and prospective assessment, for pulling out of the hurly‑burly of daily events and viewing one's life from a wider perspective than is usually given to us. I shall therefore take this opportunity of the fiftieth birthday of the RCA to reflect on our current situation according to the paradigm of the three tenses – Past, Present, and Future. I intend to speak not about the R.C.A in these three time segments, but rather to analyze how we have gone about handling these tenses themselves. Let us begin with our host culture – the U.S.A. In its politics, its technology, and especially its psychology, America is a Future‑oriented culture. Hence, its emphasis on youth – even in a period when its population is aging and should be more concerned with geriatrics than pediatrics. Its greatest strength is: the Present. The mightiest (and most benevolent) power in the world, it is thoroughly immersed in the here‑and‑now. It is pragmatic, empirical, and business‑like.However, its great weakness is — the Past. Because of its relatively brief history — a mere 210 years — America's valuation of its past as a factor in the Present, its historical consciousness, is remarkably tenuous and deficient. In a sense, it is still a pioneer country eager to throw off the shackles of the Old World and build a new one. Consider this: What for an ordinary American child is early history — the 1770's — is for a Jewish school-child late Jewish history, the period of the Acharonim!2The most poignant and painful illustration of this characteristic American insensitivity to history is the incredible brouhaha of the Reagan administration — not of one man, an honorable and decent President, but a whole team of so-called experts — because they did not appreciate events of only 40 years ago, events of the most recent past. The President wanted to forget the P…

When I was first invited to speak at this Convention, I was unsure of what topic to choose. When I asked the conveners what I should speak about, they gave me two concise answers. First, they said, "speak about 30 minutes." Second, they recommended I speak about "The Responsibility of Leadership in the American Orthodox Community." I shall cheerfully make every effort to accomodate both wise suggestions. The truth is that this theme has engaged and fascinated and worried me for a long time. And I have come to a rather surprising yet significant conclusion which can be summed up by saying that, in addition to and above all else, leadership requires the taking of risks – not only political and financial and social and psychological risks, but also moral risks.There is a remarkable statement by חז״ל which is quoted by Maimonides in his פיה"מ לאבות פ"א מ"ט, although our texts do not carry this dictum as he cites it. It reads: כל מי שהציבור ממנה אותו פרנס מלמטה נקרא רשע למעלה. "One who is appointed to a position of leadership by the community here below, is regarded as wicked up above." A similar thought occurs in the Zohar (III, p.24a). On the verse אשר נשיא יחטא, "if a prince (i.e., a king, a leader) sins," the Zohar adds two words, ודאי יחטא, "he most certainly will sin!" You cannot be a פרנס or a נשיא without being considered a רשע or a חוטא.What a strange thing to say--and what a deterrent to public service on behalf of the community! Granted that some leaders abuse their positions and that others may be neglectful of their duties, is that a reason to say that al 1 leaders are regarded by Heaven as רשעים or חוטאים, as evil or sinful? Do we not bear enough burdens, and is there not enough to discourage us without this added onus placed upon us by the Talmud, the Zohar, and the Rambam What the Rabbis meant, I believe, is this: Leadership involves making hard decisions--or better: dirty decisions, choosing between alternatives neither of which is perfect or clean or p…

The initiation of a new administration is similar to the dawn of a new day. Just as the day begins with מודה אני, so the installation of a new president and officers ought to begin with מודה אני to the outgoing president and his associates. I am therefore pleased to acknowledge with gratitude the hard work, earnest efforts, and many achievements of Shimon Kwestel and his colleagues. These have not been calm years, and he has borne the weight of office with ease and conducted himself with endless dedication and enthusiasm. The entire Orthodox community is indebted to him and his fellow officers, who, we know, will continue to give of their wisdom and experience to the incoming administration. The next administration or two will put its stamp on the UOJCA as the 20th century draws to a close. And it comes into office as a new world seems to be emerging — both globally and for us in the Jewish and especially the Torah community. I generally distrust the hoopla so characteristic of conventions, in which organizational spokesmen point with pride at their own supposed achievements and view with alarm the alleged failings of their adversaries. I am suspicious when they overstate the positive and favorable and minimize or omit the negative and unfavorable. Yet I believe that at this point in our history, we can allow ourselves the luxury of just a bit of optimism — provided that we do not allow it to lull us into euphoric paralysis. Things are changing before our very eyes, as the sands of time shift beneath our feet — and for once, most of the changes seem to be for the good. These improvements in the condition of Orthodoxy, these brightened prospects for Torah, require of us not only an expression of gratitude, not only a surge of new confidence, certainly not the smugness of triumphalism — but a sober appreciation that these events constitute a historic challenge for us to exploit the new situations so as to make the prospects for the acceptance of Torah by Jews even gr…

I have been asked to share with you my impressions of the impact on the Jewish community in general, with specific reference to my community and my institution, of the now famous or infamous statistics concerning the 52% out-marriages contained in the recent population study by the CJF. The most shocking thing about this news is that anyone is shocked at all. In our bones, we all knew that it was coming—indeed, that it was inevitable. We were reluctant to talk about it without rhetorical disguises and semantic convolutions, because it was bad for our communal business, because we were tired of "crying wolf," and because we were apprehensive about the consequences.But so deeply disturbing is this latest revelation about the decline of the Jewish community, that the times will permit nothing less than utter frankness. We must all be civilized, of course, but learn to speak to each other without the kind of courtesies and sensibilities that cramp our style and cause us to be less then honest with each other.Harsh words, I know. But the bitter truth is that our Jewish community still has not absorbed the extent or meaning of this catastrophe. The forces of denial are already rallying: the CJF statistics will be questioned, vested interests will assert themselves, and we will try our damndest to shoot the messengers. More articles and books will be written declaring that maybe, really, intermarriage is good for us, that we must not submit to pessimism, that we are panicking prematurely, that "Gott vet helfn." (A remarkable paradox: those with the least faith in a Deity suddenly discover that we can rely on Him even if He does not exist...) And maybe worst of all, yet another commission will be formed, another study launched, and another conference called. And life will continue as usual, as it—life—ebbs away from the American-Jewish community.Even now, some of us are reaching to the psychological medicine chest for some palliatives and have grabbed the most available no…

I. History. Resume of 1985, lessons learned therefrom and application to present issue: a) Any real working solution will leave both sides unhappy – and open to heavy criticism. So, try for consensus of more reasonable of both groups, and ignore extremes on both sides, if at all possible politically. No party should expect that all elements on its side will subscribe to a practical accommodation that emerges. We should aim for maximum, not total agreement. Unconditional surrender is for mortal enemies, not for אחינו בני ישראל. b) Line up support in advance from the real opinion-makers. c) Give credit to everybody generously. d) But core of plan may well be adaptable today! Even though it failed in USA, that was because there it was all a question of symbols, not reality. Here you have the pressure of real facts, e.g., 200,000 Russians! e) Keep the press at bay until you’re ready for them. II. Current issues. The situation in the USA: a) Since I started in public life (1951) I’ve never experienced such rabid, open anti-Orthodox sentiment! Results in Orthodox community: further introversion, self-isolation. b) Reform, by their massive anti-Orthodox propaganda which threatens Israel if no pluralism, are cutting off strongest limb connecting their people to Judaism, namely, Israel. Conservatives in dilemma: pro-Reform in current polemics, yet they claim to be halakhic and thus not recognize Reform conversions, etc. Schorch vs. Wertheim. It goes without saying that this committee should plead with all parties should agree that henceforth a certain degree of civility will prevail: a) The non-Orthodox will refrain from castigating the Orthodox as anti-democratic simply because they refuse to adopt American practice. The American paradigm of “church-state” relationships should not be viewed as an absolute. Israeli practice and forms of relationships in other democracies should be considered at least on par with those of the U.S. Tradition, convention, and custom in Israel…

This address is dedicated to the blessed memory of Nechama Lebovits ע״ה, who was a master of Biblical exegesis in the tradition of Torah scholarship. She was an extraordinary teacher whose life work influenced several generations of exceedingly devoted and admiring students, including rabbinical students at the Gruss Institute in Jerusalem I often ask myself: What does it take to exercise leadership in the Orthodox community in the fading years of this terrible and tormented as well as fantastic and incredible century? The question is important to us because we Orthodox Jews have a tendency to fight new battles with old weapons and to confront novel predicaments with antiquated strategies... I will mention four items or ingredients of leadership, other than the obvious need to be totally committed to Tbrah and Halakha with all one's heart and soul. The first item relates to the heart of this conference, and my thesis is: leader- ship of any community requires a number of people, not just one leader, no matter how brilliant or charismatic. No Lone Rangers need apply for the positions of leadership in any organized community. I admire the contemporary equiva- lent of the heroic cowboy who defeats the Bad Men single-handedly and goes riding off into the sunset. But I have no confidence that such leadership can endure. TYue communal leadership requires a team, a community of leaders, in which one or two or three may be preeminent, but all must pull together. I heard the following in the name of my teacher, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, "the Rav," of blessed memory: The Tbrah relates (Nu. 13) that God commanded Moses to send twelve men, each the prince of his tribe, to spy out the land of Canaan which He had promised to give to the Children of Israel. TWo of them, Joshua and Caleb, came back with a positive report, affirming the promise of God to Israel and asserting that the campaign would succeed. Tten of the princes, however, were thoroughly discouraging and, in defi…

I am grateful to you for the tribute extended to me, especially since I have been associated with the Union, one way or another, for almost my entire career. And I am pleased that my working relationship with the O-U leadership, from the visionary days of Moe Feuerstein to the enormously focused and effective era of Mendy Ganchrow, has been felicitous, friendly, and fruitful. I feel even more honored by being included in the group of distinguished rabbis who are my co-honorees. As one who has been in the pulpit rabbinate for 25 years, and out of it for over 20 years, I am in a good position to evaluate the worth of the pulpit rabbis to the American Jewish Orthodox community. And I tell you, without exaggeration, that these eleven men are the unsung heroes of Torah Judaism in America. As the Passover Haggada has it, “Who knows eleven? I know eleven—eleven are the stars of the heavens.” They are truly stars, representative of the hundreds of our pulpit rabbis throughout the country who are so often taken for granted, working assiduously, usually outside the confined perimeters of the bustling centers of Jewish life and the Yeshivot with their consuming intensity. They are, in many ways, truly the sentinels of Yiddishkeit in America. I am proud that the Orthodox Union is recognizing these rabbis and the colleagues whom they represent. They, and the Orthodox Union, are worthy of our most heartfelt approbation.The Problem of UnityPermit me to share with you a problem that has been the cause of deep distress to me. We stand today at a critical juncture in the history of our people. Our generation must make a fateful decision: will we remain one people, or will we be fragmented to two or more peoples unable to marry each other and therefore permanently divided from each other?Since the beginning, it has been Torah, our ancestral faith, that has kept us as one, despite all the centrifugal forces threatening to pull us apart. With the weakening of Torah study and observance…

I used to think that "nothing" – that is, complete secularism and assimilation – is better than Reform and Conservative affiliation. After all, they offered an easy way out of full observance, short-cuts that eviscerated the Halakha by denying its authority, and allowed defectors from Orthodoxy to imagine that they simply changed labels but maintained full fealty to Judaism – all without any guilt feelings. Indeed, that was true – 40 or 50 years ago. "Nothing" was too frightening an alternative to the burden of observance from which many Jews were seeking to escape; most American Jews of that period – largely first or second generation Americans – were too rooted in Jewish tradition to abandon it completely. They still cherished and clung to their ethnicity. For those generations, in the social and communal conditions under which they lived, the non-Orthodox movements did indeed constitute a danger. But that is no longer true because the religious and communal environment in which we live has changed radically. Total assimilation, intermarriage, even conversion no longer loom as unmitigated tragedies for a typical Jewish family in America. The world has been altered (to the worse), and our policy must adapt to new conditions if we are to save the majority of American Jews from total apostasy. The road to shemad, such as Christianity or the various Oriental religions, is much shorter and smoother from secularism than from Reform and Conservatism.In a remarkable passage in his Tzidkat ha-Tzaddik, the Hasidic thinker R. Zadok of Lublin points to the generations of Jews who flourished during the period of the Prophets. Some of them were marked by widespread defection from Torah, whereby the majority of the people descended into crass idolatry. Yet they were considered Jews because they considered themselves and identified themselves as Jews. This does not mean that Jewishness is available cheaply to whoever declares it for himself. But it does confirm that halakhicall…